Serving and Enduring

It had been a beautiful spring for the fruit-growing communities in northern Mexico.
The fruit trees were in full bloom, and expectations were high for a bounteous harvest.
Plans were already being made to pay off loans, replace needed equipment and aging orchards, and meet personal commitments such as school tuition for family members.
Plans were even being made for family vacations.
There was a general air of optimism.
Then, on a Monday afternoon in later March, a winter storm moved in, and it began to snow.
It snowed until about three o'clock in the morning.
Then, as the clouds moved out, the temperature plummeted.
Throughout the night and early morning, every effort was made to save at least a part of the fruit crop.
It was all to no avail.
It simply got too cold, and the crop was totally frozen.
There would be no fruit to be harvested and sold this year.
Tuesday dawned with the sickening and disheartening loss of all those wonderful plans, expectations, and dreams of just the day before.

I received an email regarding that terrible Tuesday morning from Sandra Hatch, the wife of John Hatch, then-first counselor in the presidency of the Colonia Juarez Chihuahua Temple.
I quote portions of that email: "John got up early--about 6:30--to run up to the temple to see if we should cancel the session this morning.
He came back saying that the parking lot and road were clear, so we decided to go ahead.
We figured that maybe some of the workers who didn't have orchards would come, and we could pull all the workers into the session.
... It was so inspiring to see the men come in, one after another.
There they were, after no sleep at all, and figuring their crops were lost.
... I was watching them during our preparation meeting, and they were having a hard time staying awake.
But instead of figuring they had a good excuse to not come, they were there.
And there were 38 people in the session (a full session)!
It was an uplifting morning for us, and we thanked Heavenly Father for good people who do their duty, no matter what happens.
I felt a special spirit there this morning.
I am sure He was pleased to know that we love His house and felt that it was a good place to be on such a difficult morning."

The story does not end there and in fact is still ongoing.

Most of those who lost their fruit crop had some land available on which to plan alternative crops for the season, such as chili peppers or beans.
These crops could provide at least some cash flow sufficient to survive on  until next year's fruit crop.
However, there was one good brother with a young family who did not have additional land and was facing a year with no revenue at all.
Others in the community, seeing the dire situation of this brother and acting on their own initiative and expense, arranged for a piece of property, used their own equipment to prepare the land, and provided the chili plants for him to plant.

I know the men about whom I have just spoken.
Knowing them, I was not surprised at what they did.
But those who do not know them will probably be asking two questions, both beginning with the word why.
Why would they come to the temple to perform their duties and to serve after having been up all night long, only to realize that they had lost the greater part of their revenue for the whole year?
Why would they use what were now scarce and very precious resources to help another in desperate need when they themselves were no win such dire financial straits?

If you understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, then  you will know the answer to these two questions.

-Daniel L. Johnson  -Becoming a True Disciple -October 2012 General Conference

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi